Browning X-Bolt HC LR McM 28 Nosler Accuracy

[Buttermilk]

For those wondering if a factory Browning X-Bolt rifle can be accurate, this post if for you.

Gun is a Browning X-Bolt Hells Canyon Long Range McMillan left hand - likely why it shot so good… - 28 Nosler. Scope is a Leupold VX5HD 4x-20x-52 duplex reticle.

I handloaded a Matrix 175 VLD (I do t have many of these) pushed by IMR8133 Enduron, lit by a F215GMM, all contained in Nosler brass. Bullet seated to just under magazine length at 3.632", which gets me really close to the lands on this rifle.

Too bad I can't come up with 500-600 more of these bullets. I've got 11 pounds of IMR8133, so good there.

 

[Buttermilk]

Another target; another day; post scope adjustments from previous day.

I need to make a minor scope adjustment, and call it good.

I'm starting to like this 28 Nosler. 42 rounds down the barrel now.

 

[VinceMule]

Congrats Buttermilk! I would encourage you to get a couple of hundred rounds of AGD brass, it is tough as an anvil! I believe you will wear out the barrel with 100 rounds of the AGD!

We had incredible accuracy with the H1000, same bullet weight.

If you see these rifles on a sale, would not hurt to buy up a couple. The 28's will fall out of favor for the newest flavor of the PRC's, take advantage of that!

 

[Buttermilk]

Last fall I used the gun on opening day gun season with a different load. That load doesn't shoot quite as good but good enough.

 

[Buttermilk]

Congrats Buttermilk! I would encourage you to get a couple of hundred rounds of AGD brass, it is tough as an anvil! I believe you will wear out the barrel with 100 rounds of the AGD!

We had incredible accuracy with the H1000, same bullet weight.

If you see these rifles on a sale, would not hurt to buy up a couple. The 28's will fall out of favor for the newest flavor of the PRC's, take advantage of that!

I don't know that I'll acquire another. I'm more of a Remington guy (have several, including some custom built Rem). I bought this one when I was working at a LGS as store manager and picked this one up at $20 over cost. I prefer the 28 Nosler over the 7mm PRC myself.

I run ADG brass in my 30 Nosler XP-100. It's good stuff.

What surprises me is this Nosler brass seems quite good. I'm the past, when I was shooting 280 AI, it was soft. This 28N brass seems better (time will tell), as does the Nosler 300 RUM brass my brother is shooting.

I've used Retumbo in the gun as well, I have several pounds of IMR8133, so I decided try it.

I only have just under 200 of these Matrix 175 VLD bullets. Wish I could find some more.

 

[VinceMule]

We have excellent accuracy with the 175g Nosler long-range accubonds, sorted by ogive length, seated .003 off the lands, H1000 with groups in the 3s at 100 yds. I feel as if this is a viable alternative for you, but wish you the very best on the hunt for the Matrix bullets.

I bought a box of the Hornady 175 ELDx to try, but I have not as of yet, as I found 8 boxes of the Nosler 175s. I have some concerns that the ELDX maybe too tough on the deer and hogs I shoot, but the Nosler 175's give incredible expansion and penetration.

I am a Remington man also.

 

[Buttermilk]

We have excellent accuracy with the 175g Nosler long-range accubonds, sorted by ogive length, seated .003 off the lands, H1000 with groups in the 3s at 100 yds. I feel as if this is a viable alternative for you, but wish you the very best on the hunt for the Matrix bullets.

I bought a box of the Hornady 175 ELDx to try, but I have not as of yet, as I found 8 boxes of the Nosler 175s. I have some concerns that the ELDX maybe too tough on the deer and hogs I shoot, but the Nosler 175's give incredible expansion and penetration.

I am a Remington man also.

I may have a box of the N175ABLR bullets. I'll give them a shot. I run the N150ABLR in a short barreled 7mm-08. I also have a box of the H175ELDX bullets as well, plus several hundred Berger 168 VLDH and H166ATIP bullets.

Odds of finding any Matrix 175 VLD bullets are slim to none.

What velocity are you getting with H1000?

 

[VinceMule]

3050 is the accuracy node where the bullets knaw a ragged hole. 3120 will shoot 1/2" but rougher on the AGD brass. I will take the accuracy with a bullet that performs well when it connects.

I have had zero luck with the 150g LRAB, zero. I would love to know your load as I have two model 7s in 7/08 and a bunch of the 150s.

I can not say for sure but I expect the barrel life to be in the realm of 800 rounds with the 28 Nosler, and I keep my barrel cool when testing, rubbing the barrel down with 50/50 rubbing alcohol and water, enough to have the water dripping off the bottom of the barrel, which cools the barrel extremely fast.

When my leade gets long, I will go to a Sierra 160g BTSP which is very, very jump tolerant, and a wonderful killing bullet on deer and hogs.

I am a Remington man, and I don't know how conducive to rebarreling the Brownings are, maybe best to trade them in and take the loss....we will see.

With the Remington, I install a Wyatt's magazine box which gives me an additional .125, and they have another mag box that will give a length of 4.0", but I don't think that it is necessary.

 

[Buttermilk]

In my 7mm-08, I'm using StaBall 6.5. I've only just started load development, so have not really began any serious load workup. I did just enough to sight the gun in for deer season (then never hunted with it). It's a 15" barrel Rem XP-100.

I went straight to 49.0 gr SB6.5 and simply sighted it in. All I can say is during sighting it in, after I got the point of aim where point of impact was, I could hit what I was aiming at at 100 yds. I've not yet shot for groups using that load. Chrono showed 2650 fps with that load. Soon I'll do some serious load workup.

I also used the same N150ABLR in another XP-100 15" bbl 7mm REM BR. That gun was a consistent 0.600" gun with 8208xbr. Velocity was only 2350 with this load.

My 28 Nosler has been decently accurate using the H166ATIP. However, Thais one also needs some tweaking as well. I use Retumbo with this bullet and get just over 3300 fps. 3/4 MOA groups, which I think can be better. It was the first load I tried, and never played around with it to see if it could be better.